(February 17, 2011) TORONTO, Ontario — Ford's rear inflatable seat belt is named the 2011 Best New Technology' by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) at the Canadian International Auto Show.

"Safety is a key priority at Ford and we are honored to win this year's 'Best New Technology' award for our industry-first rear inflatable seat belts," said David Mondragon, president and CEO, Ford of Canada. "Available initially on our all-new 2011 Ford Explorer, the rear inflatable seat belts work by spreading impact forces over five times more area than conventional seat belts."

Ford's unique inflatable rear belts reducing pressure on the chest while helping to control head and neck motion.

Ford’s rear inflatable seat belt functions like a standard seat belt in normal everyday use. The vehicle’s crash sensing system determines when the inflatable belt should deploy.